Quick Takes 2: The Sequel!

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Re: Quick Takes 2: The Sequel!

Post by Mad Lensman »

Outpost

It seems that the Nazi's are getting a bashing these days what with Inglorious Basterds etc, so it seems one film company has decided to hit back. This is a low budget British affair which is most definitely one of the best Zombie films I have EVER seen. It's scary - on MANY levels, out right terrifying on some, and just wrong on others. I won't give the plot away, but if you enjoyed Wolfenstein then this is an ABSOLUTE MUST! - BC For you it's a must anyway! - Watch out for the "Spent Cartridge" scene - it's just plain out and out sick!

--Spoilers--

A group of mercenaries are hired by a mysterious backer to investigate an old WW2 bunker in eastern Europe. Unknown to them, their sponsor is not after the Nazi gold he claims to know is buried there, but is in fact researching the rumours of Nazism discovering the means to become immortal through a mesh of the occult and advanced technology - "Black Sun" for those of you with a historical bent, the entry to another dimension - They discover a pile of preserved bodies in the bunker, including a single surviving Nazi officer, who unknownst to them is simply acting as a spy in the ranks to discover how much the merc know about the equipment in the bunker. At night, the clearing above ground is lit with an eerie sheen, and Nazi troppers are awoken from the grave to torture and kill the intruders.

If you watch this film - please let me know what you think of the single scene with the lone Nazi "Zombie trooper" walking down the sparsely lit corridor with just the helmet, tabbards and whites of his eyes visible against the dark background - it STILL disturbs me even three nights later!!!! :?
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Re: Quick Takes 2: The Sequel!

Post by borgcrazy »

Hmm, I'll have to see if I can find that. You've definitely got my interest!
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Re: Quick Takes 2: The Sequel!

Post by b-guy »

AVATAR

Holy. Crap.

This one's got a special spot reserved on my movie shelf, just as soon as I pick up the scattered pieces of my blown mind.

I honestly can't remember the last time I was so completely impressed with a movie. While the writing wasn't perfect, it still led to a compelling story that held my attention for the 2.5+ hour run time. I had to pee like crazy for the last hour, but I just couldn't bring myself to leave my seat.

The imagery of the movie is amazing, but what's even more impressive is the way it fits perfectly into the story, advancing and working with it rather than distractring from it. I knew watching the movie that a good part of it had to be computer generated. But honestly, if you didn't 'know' it was computer generated, you wouldn't be able to tell. I mean, obviously a 9-foot tall blue biped that moves in a completely realistic fashion and interacts flawlessly with live actors can't be a guy in a suit pulling off some trick in perspective. Intellectually, I knew it had to be CG. But just looking at it...you really can't tell. I was further amazed to read that 60% of the film was CG, which is more than even I would have thought. A bit of googling online, and you find that they used some truly amazing technologies to pair the human actors with the CG models.

**EDIT**

I read in a review somewhere that one thing the reviewing didn't like was the lack of facial expressions in the CG characters. I dunno what movie he was watching. Anyway, that did get me thinking that Jake, the main character, really is NOT very expressive when the actor himself is on stage. In fact, being a former marine, his expression is usually very grim. In contrast, his Na'vi avatar is very expressive, smiling, grinning, snarling, etc. Interestingly enough, they actually mounted mini-cameras on helmets that captured the actors' faces and used their facial expressions to create the expressions of the CG characters. I wonder if the human character's flat expression was done on purpose, to make the expressions on his avatar stand out more.

**/EDIT**

The story was a bit predictable. OK, a lot predictable. But there were still enough surprises to keep it engaging, and in all honesty this new slant on an old tale just somehow managed to click.

I did read that Cameron has two sequels planned, assuming the movie is successful. From what I've seen so far online, it's been a financial and critical success. That being said, this movie wraps things up pretty nicely in the end (in a predictable but still thrilling way), so I'm really not sure what he'd have in mind for a sequel.

*Minor Spoilers**




OK, so basically, humans are exploiting a planet called Pandora for a very valuble mineral. They can't breathe the atmosphere, so the science team (which is overshadowed by the military force) uses avatars to explore and interact with the natives. The avatars are basically alien clones that are modeled after a particular human. (Ever wonder what Sigourney Weaver would look like as a 9-foot tall blue alien woman? I didn't, but now I know. ;) Using a technological link, the human can then remotely inhabit the avatar body. If you've seen the Stargate SG-1 or Universe, it's very similar to the Ancient communication stones, except that there's no mind in the avatar body to swap with yours, your body is just unconscious. Though a series of events, a parapalegic former marine named Jake ends up assigned to an avatar that had been grown for his twin brother. The fact that he's disabled isn't something that's hugely dwelt on, there's no long self-pity scenes or anything. But it does add a strong distinction between the scenes where the character is in his own body, as opposed to when he's controling his avatar. His first scene in the avatar, being able to walk again, really made me wonder just how wonderful something like that would be.

From here, the plot isn't really that unique. Man is sent to learn about a native culture. Man meets woman. Man's people do horrible things to natives. Man's loyalties shift from his people to the natives. I won't go into any further details, as it would just be me regurgitating what's on wikipedia.
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Re: Quick Takes 2: The Sequel!

Post by borgcrazy »

Outpost
I finally found it, though it was through BitTorrent, and yea that was pretty good. I have to say, though, the Nazombies felt to me more like Borg drones (incredibly savage drones, tho...) than walking corpses. Still, they were creepy enough.
I was never a fan of the "invincible zombie" movies, but this one at least had a good explanation for their invincibility. Unlike other invincible zombies, this one also has a workaround, albeit imperfect.
I do have one question, when and how long was the scene you were talking about, Mad? I think I missed it, but I was having a sneezing attack toward the end and may have missed it.
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Re: Quick Takes 2: The Sequel!

Post by Mad Lensman »

There are various different versions of the film - I think the BT download one is one of the edited ones - the scene is about a minute long, and comprises just the single trooper, and he doesn't walk down the corridor, he just "appears" closer and closer until all the details you can see are the two SS pins on his collar and the milky whites of his eyes - makes me shudder even thinking about it - Glad you found the film and enjoyed, I don't normally do the indestructible ones either, but that was a cracker - did they have the cartridge interrogation scene still in the one you found BC? Hope so - Although sick, it was an awesomely well filmed moment!!!!

There's a sequel due out soon - "Black Sun" - I will await that with baited breath .....

You can see a bit of the scene with the ZOmbie in the dark corridor on the outpost website.... 8-)
Dr. Allison Reed: It's over, it's over. You did great! Do you need anything? Can we get you anything?
Harry Block: Ice cream... I'd like an ice cream please.
Dr. Allison Reed: Okay, what flavor?
Harry Block: It doesn't matter. It's for my ass.
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Re: Quick Takes 2: The Sequel!

Post by borgcrazy »

Oh God, if the cartridge scene you're talking about is the same one I'm thinking about, that was absolutely brutal!
I think I found an edited version, too, since I don't remember anything like what you described for the trooper. Then again, a lot of things get changed when they come State-side, though that's usually only from Japan...
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Re: Quick Takes 2: The Sequel!

Post by Meneks »

Avatar

It's been awhile since I posted, but I'll go ahead and ditto the Avatar posting above. And Zombieland a couple of posts back.

//OH NO MOMENT//
ARG! Satellite receiver just rebooted in the middle of Colbert Report "The Word" segment. Now I am sad. Soon I will be unsad, but by the time the receiver reacquires the signal, the segment will be over.
//OH NO MOMENT OVER//

Anyway, I've noticed the local Redbox box has some interesting movies in it as of late, so maybe I'll be posting here pretty soon. As soon as I find the time to even watch a movie, that is.
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Re: Quick Takes 2: The Sequel!

Post by borgcrazy »

Avatar

Holy. Crap. Indeed!
Words cannot express how utterly amazing and absolutely gorgeous this movie is. I can honestly say this is the most visually impressive movie I've ever seen. I've got a very sensitive eye to CG graphics - it's not something I do on purpose, but I can often tell a CG effect when no one else can - but most of the time watching this, even I forgot that it wasn't "real". 60% CG? Where? I didn't notice.
I just hope the sequels live up to the premiere installment.
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Re: Quick Takes 2: The Sequel!

Post by Mad Lensman »

Avatar

Just gonna echo the above: HOLY CRAP!!!! - And I saw it in experiment 3D too!

Survival of the dead

Another one for your collection this BC.... Not quite as daft as Zombieland, and far from the best Romero effort, but worth watching all the same.

Planet 51

Hold the front page. What a movie!!!!

Now, recently I've been forced to sit around for days on end unable to do much (See my post in General Gabbery about real life), and was a sitting traget for my son who BEGGED me to buy this on DVD when it came out. Not wishing to disappoint, I did and man am I glad.....! A real tongue in cheek world view tipped on it's head for the sake of the kids, but enjoyable nonetheless.... My onyl real regret is that they haven;t yet made a "Ripley" Dog cute stuffed toy... it would look so damn good humping my weighted companion cube....!
Dr. Allison Reed: It's over, it's over. You did great! Do you need anything? Can we get you anything?
Harry Block: Ice cream... I'd like an ice cream please.
Dr. Allison Reed: Okay, what flavor?
Harry Block: It doesn't matter. It's for my ass.
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Re: Quick Takes 2: The Sequel!

Post by b-guy »

weighted companion cube
Did you notice that Portal 2 has been announced and is expected to come out later this year? :D
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